Hemipeplus bromineus KC & Pollock, 2025

Kc, Sajan & Pollock, Darren A., 2025, Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species, Zootaxa 5574 (1), pp. 1-140 : 127-128

Hemipeplus bromineus KC & Pollock , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0A9EE313-A4DC-4DE5-BA6B-6806E2AFD8F6

(Figs 59, 64)

Type Material. Holotype, female, labeled: ‘ Irian Jaya: Jayawi-jaya, Okloma-Emdoman , 28.9.1993 1400–1700m leg. A:RIEDEL / SMNS / [blue label] ♀ / [red label] HOLOTYPE ♀ Hemipeplus bromineus KC & Pollock’, in SMNS. One paratype, female, labeled same as holotype, in SMNS .

Derivation of Specific Epithet. The specific name (adjective in the nominative case, in gender agreement with substantive) is given in allusion to the species’ bromine-like color.

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus bromineus sp. nov. can be distinguished from the similar-appearing obscure form of H. heisenbergi sp. nov. (Fig. 60.3) by its barely emarginate anterior pronotal margin, lack of notch on its indistinct pronotal lobe, and more distinct pronotal pad. Hemipeplus bromineus sp. nov. also resembles H. rugosus sp. nov. (Fig. 42) which has larger temples, less prominent pronotal pad, and much deeper emargination on the anterior pronotal margin. Hemipeplus bromineus sp. nov. has the following diagnostic features: temples very short and roundish but prominent in contrast to its small eyes; scape submoniliform, slightly elongate; eyes small (smaller than scape + pedicel), shallow and less convex; pronotum subcordiform; anterior emargination shallow, not prominent; anterior half wider than posterior half; pronotal pad narrow but distinct; anterior pronotal angles rounded, slightly produced; posterior angles square, rounded; pronotal lobe indistinct without median notch; body long; color dull, rufopiceous/bromine-brown, some parts slightly lighter than others (more piceous on head, pronotum, suture and apices of elytra); distribution: Indonesia (Papua).

Description. Measurements (in mm)—GHW: 0.62–0.63; HL: 0.62–0.63; AL: 1.10–1.12; GPW: 0.63–0.64; PL: 0.55–0.55; GEW: 0.85; EL: 3.28–3.40; TL: 4.45–4.58.

Head (Fig. 59B) as long as wide (GHW/HL: 1.00) eyes small (smaller than scape + pedicel), shallow and less convex; temples very short and roundish; occiput with strongly raised areas; antennae shorter than head and pronotum length combined; antennal scape submoniliform, slightly elongate, apically dilated; pedicel small moniliform; antennomere III more elongate and apically dilated; IV smaller, submoniliform; V–VI larger, submoniliform, apically dilated; VII–X subtriangular or bowl shaped, each wider than the next; XI subpyriform with apex narrowed after the notch; lateral mandibular tooth not observable in the specimens. Pronotum (Fig. 59B) wide (GPW/PL: 1.15–1.16), subcordiform; anterior margin with slight emargination; anterolateral angles rounded, moderately produced; posterior half contracted, not produced; posterolateral margins subparallel; posterolateral angles obtuse to square, rounded; pronotal lobe almost absent without median notch; pronotal pad (Fig. 59C) narrow, but distinct; pronotal pits shallow without proper grooves. Scutellar shield subhexagonal, transverse, about twice as wide as long. Elytra (Fig. 59A) long (EL/GEW: 3.86–4.00) with disc slightly convex; vestiture moderately long and dense; apical patch long and slightly darker than the elytra. Ventral surface. Prosternal process short, not extending posterior of procoxae; hypomeral edges well separated; mesosternal process narrow and linear. Color dull, rufopiceous/bromine-brown (more piceous on head, pronotum, suture of elytra and apices); ventrally palpi and tarsi paler.

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 64). Indonesia (Papua).

FIGURE 59. Hemipeplus bromineus sp. nov. (Holotype). A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax.